"Miss! You need to get up!"

"Wha … what's going on?"

"I don't know Miss, but there is a large commotion out in the middle of town."

It was dark, and I groggily tried reaching for my Pip-Boar. Onion's words seemed just as hazy as my thoughts were right now. A commotion? I finally was able to land my paw on the wrist mounted computer and I checked the time. Two fifteen in the morning. Fuck. Can't I go back to sleep? I stumbled out of my bed as I latched the Pip-Boar on my wrist. I tried to remember where the light switch was when I started to hear the commotion outside.

"It's the robot!"

Robot? What were they … FUCK! Those bastard raiders must have had a remote activator! I had to do something. I think I recall deactivating the weapon systems, but the core, there was no way to completely disable it without taking the entire thing apart. I needed rest, I told myself I would do it in the morning, fuck me, I should have never left that fucking robot alone until I was certain it was safe!

I rushed out of the room, not bothering trying to find my gun, it was useless before, and it will be useless now, especially without my B.A.T.S.. After this, I really needed to figure out how to replace that serum. I heard Onion call after me but there was no time for his safety messages. If that killer machine was active again, it could destroy everything and everyone here.

I raced past the market stalls and the residential area towards the main gate where I last remembered that robot was. There were people in a panic, running each way, but most of them were crowding near the gate, some bickering, and other's yelling. There were so many voices at once, I was unable to make out much of what they were saying. Some were shouting: 'traitor!' while others were screaming: 'You've doomed us!' Ithink I heard my name, or at least the words 'savior,' and 'hero' here and there. Even when racing in a panic through the streets, those titles felt foreign to me. All the more so when I had, at multiple times, told myself that that was what I was striving for.

In the middle of the crowd I could see the robot. It did not look as if it was trying to attack, but it was swiveling around back and forth at random. Was it just short circuiting? If I could get onto it and connect my Pip-Boar, I could see what was wrong. I pushed through the crowd and, as they noticed me, they started to form and opening for me to pass. I don't know if it was my imagination, but I swore they were all staring at me. They probably were waiting for me to come save the day. Again.

"Clear the way people!"

I recognized the mayor's voice as I finally breeched the crowd. She was standing there with two large wolves on either side of her. One of them had a fox grasped in his arms while, considering what was going on, the other was standing there rather calm. I wanted to ask what the hell was going on, but I was distracted by the mayor's silken night … fuck Olivia! Now is not the time! Although I thought I saw her blush when I was looking at her. I pushed that from my head and put my attention on the right now.

"Stand back everyone!"

The arms were thankfully still in their rested mode, most likely still disabled from my hacking as I caught the crowd's attention. As if the mayor herself gave an order, everyone quieted down and moved a few steps back. I ran around the robot until I was able to get a clear view of the back where the access port was and I made a jump.

I don't know how long I was asleep, but it was defiantly long enough to make my jump feel natural again, and not just force by my adrenalin. Although at this moment, I am sure that was helping. I went to open the access port but it had already been opened. The lights were dim, but I noticed that there was something lodged in the port. Was that a Pip-Boar connector? I yanked it out and plugged my own into it. The mayor did mention someone else with a Pip-Boar here … I'll have to ask more about that after I was done.

My heart nearly stopped as I pulled up the access program. From the looks of it, someone was trying to load custom software into the machine, but it had tripped a failsafe. Unfortunately, that failsafe was directly linked to the self-destruct mechanism. Looks like it's owners did not want it being purposed. Fuck me, fuck them, fuck this machine!

I tried to perform a manual override, but with the new code and the old code trying to override each other and gain control, it was going to take much longer than I had time. I tried to purge the new code, but every-time I thought I succeeded, a part of it remained behind and replicated itself faster than I could purge it. Whoever made this code must be a coding genius. Even I haven't figured out how to create self-replicating code, then again I really never had a use for it. Suddenly the robot started to warm up. That is not good.

I checked the machines status. Weapons: offline. Mobility: offline. Navigation: offline. Core: critical. I tried to find the internal cooling system to try to bring down the temperature and buy some time, but it had already been vented. There were two options. Manually eject the core and try to get it as far away from here as possible, or try to get its navigation software online and send it as far away from here. I tried the latter first, since I doubt there was enough time for the former.

This fucking code was getting me really mad. Each time I think I had its navigation online, this foreign code started to assimilate my own, causing the resident code to attack us both. I swear this code had a mind of its own. Now I wasn't sure if I wanted to chat with the code's creator, or punch them in the face. Maybe both. There was only one thing to do.

"Everyone! I am unable to get this thing under control, and its core is about to go critical! We need to get it as far away from here as possible!"

"What are you going to do about it?"

What am I? Just because I save … wait a second. 'What am I' … 'what am' … WATER! If I can manage to get the core detached from the robot and cool it down enough, that should buy me the time I need to purge ALL the code from the system and manually override it! The problem was, I had no idea where the core was. The robot was heating up enough to potentially locate it, but if it was anything like the fission units in the Burrow, it had to be removed a certain way in order to prevent a radiation purge. I tried to find a schematic for it, but no luck. The Burrow's databases did not have blueprints for pre-war technology like this. Wait a sec!

"I have an idea! I need a volunteer, preferably a fast one. I'll be right back, and get that gate open!"

The commotion started up again, with people starting to question me as I ran past them back to the workshop. I knew what I had to do, but I hoped it would work, and more so, that they would trust me with it.

"Alright! You heard her! James, you're our fastest. Get that gate open! Everyone else, find shelter!"

The mayor started to throw orders around and that caused the commotion to stop as they followed her every command. I was new here, and despite having saved them yesterday, I had a long way to go to earn the trust that she instills in them. If all goes well, I hope to stick around long enough to earn that kind of trust myself.

I picked up speed as I ran back through the town to my residents. I remembered there were a whole stack of blueprints there, and I had started to look through them as I was trying to force myself to sleep. A little light reading always helped me sleep. I recall seeing a few robot schematics among themand, provided I wasn't half asleep, there was one that should help.

When I got to the workshop, Onion was holding something and was trying to get my attention. I told him it was an emergency. I did not have time for whatever nonsense he was trying to tell me. I rummaged through the blueprints thathad been already tossed around the room. I was not a very organized rabbit, but after frantically searching through my mess, I think I needed to change that. I finally found exactly what I needed and ran back out towards the manic machine.

I was very glad that, unlike me, this town was fairly clear of debris because I used my time running back to locate where the core's access point was and how to open it. It seemed much simpler than I thought honestly, but was defiantly not something I'd wanna try under attack. The crowd had diminished greatly as everyone was seeking shelter in case my mission fell through. The thought of failure was starting to creep into my consciousness, but I did my best to smack it away. These people were counting on me. I had to be the savior that Mayor Swift made me out to be. If I failed …

"You have your runner, James. You do everything she tells you."

"Yes mayor."

"I would love to talk pleasantries with you, but I need you to …" I slid under the robot as I cut myself off. The access to the power core was on the near the 'head' of the robot, but in order to open it manually, I needed to activate three release mechanisms. The first one was under the robot near the back leg. I turned on my Pip-Boar's light and found it right where the blueprints said it would be. I turned the lever until it slid out a few inches and then pushed it back in. Then I moved towards the front of the robot where the next one washidden under a thick plate. Thankfully, activating the first switch released the plate allowing me to activate the mechanism underneath. I jumped down and moved to the back where I started to scurry up it. The robot was finished with its spasms. The manual release had initiated a movement override. The final switch was the actual housing for the core. I twisted it halfway and pushed with all my might. It moved a few inches into the robot before ejecting itself, sending it, and me crashing to the ground. I cradled it as I fell. The heat from it becoming unbearable. Thankfully it had a housing that saved me from a massive dose of radiation.

"… carry this. Hurry and take it to the pools around back! Throw it into the deepest one, I got it from there."

"You want me to what?"

Before I could repeat myself, the mayor gave him a stern look that wiped away any other remarks he may have had. He grabbed it and bolted through the main gate. While he was buying me time, I jumped up and plugged myself back into the robot. I bought myself ten, fifteen minutes at most, but it was better than the seconds we had before. I wasted no time launching Hackatron and working on the code. While this self-replicating code was very effective, I had a few tricks up my sleeve as well. I started by not trying to fight the foreign code, but rather, use it to hide my own as I located the back-door to the factory programming. The entire system was so busy fighting against the alien code, that it did not even notice me sneaking in the back. Once I was in it was as if I just went from swimming upstream to just going with the natural flow. It only took me a few seconds to find the factory override and I began the code purge. To be safe, I dumped everything, leaving this machine no more than a pile of scrap. To be honest, it left me a bit saddened, to see all that unexplored code to go waste, but it beat dying.

"It's safe." I slowly slid down the robot until I was back on the ground. I found myself panting, not only from the running, but from the aftershock of the stress leaving me, "The core and the robot were linked via a wireless signal to prevent tampering, but since I purged the entire system, it pretty much overrode the self-destruct, causing the core to safely purge. The water may not have been drinkable now, but now I would avoid it all together. It was the best I could do."

"Your 'best' just saved this town from a nuclear explosion… twice.I'd say your 'best' was better than we all had hoped." The mayor came up and knelt beside me as she spoke and put her hoof on my shoulder and whispered into my ear,"Although, it seems in your haste, you showed everyone a … bit more than intended."

"What do you …"

"Miss!" Onion darted up to where the mayor and I was with my jumpsuit in his extended claw.

"Is that my …" I felt my face get very hot as I looked down and realize that this entire time I had been parading around town in nothing by my underwear. I jumped up and grabbed the jumpsuit from Onion and ran behind the now immobile machine to put it on. The rush of my little 'adventure' was now being replaced by shame and humiliation. After this I don't think I could face the other residents for a while. They saw … everything.

"I tried to tell you Miss," Onion shouted from the other side of the robot before I heard him in a much lower tone, "I did try to tell her."

I just put my face into my paws. Why me?

I had managed to sneak on back to my place without making eye contact with anyone. I felt too ashamed to face them, and I just wanted to go and hide for the rest of the night. The mayor tried to get me to do something, but I told her in the morning, I just wanted to wallow in my shame. I didn't really say that, at least I don't think I did. I really hope I didn't.

Onion was quiet the rest of the night. Either he was just as embarrassed as I was, or he knew I was in one of those, 'don't talk to me' moods. I have been having them a lot recently, although for reasons much more understandable. I am so very glad that I did not choose tonight to sleep in the nude. I crashed onto my bed still in my jumpsuit and I vowed to never take it off again as I screamed into my pillow.

I don't remember when I fell asleep, but I woke up feeling much better. I checked my Pip-Boar and saw that it was a little after nine in the morning. Due to this town being inside a large building, it was just as dark as it was during the night. I found the light switch and had to cover my eyes as the ceiling light powered on. Things were scattered everywhere from my haste at finding the blueprints, but I had plenty of time to straighten it up. Right now I wanted to know what that box was on the workbench. I don't remember that.

"You're up Miss. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, um what is that?"

"Mayor Swift stopped by this morning but I told her you were still asleep Miss. I said I could wake you, but she told me to let you sleep. She said one you are awake, she wanted you to meet her behind the medical office. She also wanted you to open this gift from her prior to leaving."

"Gift? For me?"

I had no idea what it could be. A small rumble in my stomach made me hope it was food. The box was big, but very flat, like an over-sized book. It did not have a whole lot of weight to it, nor did it make any noise when I shook it. A small red ribbon held the entire thing together. As I was carefully undoing the ribbon, I saw a small piece of folded paper tied to it. I unfolded it and read itscontents.

"Dear Miss Springs,

Once again I would like to thank you for your admirable work saving this town. I have an important meeting that I wanted you to join me in, but first stop by Olive's Garden. I have informed the owner that you are to be well fed once you are up for the day. Once you are content, please meet me at the holding cells behind the medical facility.

Gratefully yours, Mayor Jessabell Swift."

Holding cells? What possible reason could she want me meeting her there? I tried to think of any potential reason, but my stomach kept vying for my attention. I haven't eaten since I arrived here yesterday afternoon. Food first, then the mayor. I went back to pulling the ribbon off the box. Its contents were not what I was expecting. Inside were two articles of clothing, both very neatly folded. The first one was a jumpsuit, similar to the ones in the Burrows, but it was a dark green accented with stripes of white along the seams. On the front in bold yellow was the word: Hope, while on the back was the word: Springs.

How did she have time to make this? This jumpsuit was crisp and clean, like it was just made. I slipped out of my old jumpsuit and tried this one on. It was a perfect fit. How did she know my size? Already the questions were flying through my head. I asked Onion if anyone slipped in with a tape measurer last night, but he informed me that it was quiet the rest of the night. I turned towards the other article of clothing. This one was … much different. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks as I pulled it out. It was a silken nightgown. The opaque black material felt wonderful. It was so smooth with a cool to the touch feeling. I saw another slip of paper fall down as I was holding the nightgown up to me. I bent down and picked it up. It was the same hoof writing as the other one.

"I hope black is acceptable to you. After last night, I figured you would want something a bit less revealing to wear to bed."

Unlike the formal note on the box this one was simply signed, 'Jessabell'. My heart fluttered at the thought of her thinking of me. Gah! I shouldn't be having these thoughts. Not only is she the mayor, but I have never felt like this around someone my own sex before. Of course, I never really felt like this around anyone before. It's like she is bewitching me or something. I carefully draped the nightgown on the bed before grabbing my tool belt. I went to grab my gun, but changed my mind. I didn't want to give the wrong impression to anyone.

"Onion, I am going to get some food and then meet the mayor. Do you mind straightening up in here? I wanna get to know this place better before you start wondering around. Who ever tried to take control of that robot might still be here, and I don't wanna risk the same on you."

"As you wish Miss. I should probably recharge. I spent the entire night alert, afraid that if I were to power down, something bad would happen and I wouldn't be around to warn you."

I turned and kissed him on his shell, "I appreciate it. You rest now. If I need anything, I'll contact you through my Pip-Boar."

I opened the door as saw that the town was busy. Mammals were traversing back and forth between the market, their homes, and whatever they did on a daily basis. I closed the door behind me as I followed the delicious smell towards the only restaurant in town, Olive's Garden. Now that I had been rested, I was able to take in the surroundings much better. The eatery was a simple shack with a large window in the front. Mammals were lined up placing orders in the window before taking a seat at the tables set up in the front and on the side of the shack. While waiting in line, I noticed two other shacks nearby that looked similar to this one. They both looked closed and while one had no sign on it, the other one had what looked like an unlit neon sign that spelled out: 'Nyte Lyfe'.

"While this place has the best food in town, Nyte Lyfe has the best drinks. A shame it's owner got trapped outside when this siege started. Everyone is hoping he is safe and returns. After what we've all been through, we need a few good drinks."

Behind me a giraffe had bent his neck down closer to me as he started to tell me all about the food here. Olive's Garden has been around the longest, and while the original owner, Olive, had long since passed away, her daughter, Petunia, has been keeping up the tradition of serving the best food in the wasteland. The other spot has been vacant for years. Every time a traveling chef tried to settle down and open a restaurant here, they were unable to compete with Olive's Garden, even though neither Olive or Petunia ever tried to make it a competition. In fact, Petunia once tried to get the last owner to create a combined menu, but the he refused to piggyback off of her food.

I finally got to the front of the line and was greeted by a rather petite porcupine. She had a simple shirt on with an overly large apron tied around her. I had never meet a porcupine before, but her quills didn't seem to be as long as I thought they would be. Her short stature made her seem, cute, but more in an adorable sense.

"If it isn't the hero of Hope. Mayor said you would be coming around here this mornin'. What can I make you?"

"Honestly? Anything. That food I had last night was amazing. Best I have ever eaten. Now that I am actually well rested, I am sure to enjoy it even better."

"Glad to hear it. How 'bout the house special? Maurice! One special!"

From where I was standing, the shack started to seem much larger as I saw movement behind the counter she stood in front of. I saw the occasional pans and food moving around, but I could not make out who, or what, this Maurice was. But, if he was responsible for last night food as well, I knew I would enjoy it.

"Now you sit down sugar. I will have it to ya in a jiffy."

I thanked her and went to sit at one of the tables. People around me kept giving me sideways glances, but I could not tell if it was from me saving them, or if it was from parading around in my … bare necessities. I gave a weak smile to a few before trying to hide myself in my paws. I felt the chair next to me move as someone sat down.

"Good morning sweetie, hope you liked my gifts."

I jolted upright. "Mayor! I thought I was going to meet you after breakfast?"

"Well, there is some business that I need to conduct, but I would like you there with me when it happens. I was actually on the way to your place to see if you were awake yet, and saw you sit down, so I figured I would come and join you."

"Well … that was nice of you." A couple walked by, both cheetahs, and saw the male giving me a … look. His companion must have noticed to, because she swatted him with a bag she was carrying. "Everyone keeps … staring."

"Oh, most of them are still grateful for your help and,due to the previous circumstances, this is the first time most of them have seen you as yourself, not some kind of heroic warrior." She leaned in, her breath tickling my ear, "And many of them also remember last nights … show. Don't worry sweetie, I told them that if they say anything un-befitting a lady like you, that they would be on latrine duty for a month."

My face felt warm again. I knew I wouldn't live that down. From now on I sleep fully dressed.

"Thank you. For everything. The food, the shelter, I have not been here a day and you have shown so much kindness to me, more than I have everreceived … apart frommy mother."

"Your mother, she was special to you. I can tell."

"She said I was the best thing to ever happen to her, and deep in that Burrow where very few ever got along, she was my only light that kept me going. Even after her … death, her memories kept me going, helping to shape me into who I am today."

"She would be proud of you."

I felt a tear starting to form, but tried to subtly wipe it away just as my food arrived. Five of the largest carrots I have ever seen lined the plate, glistening in the artificial light. They smelt sweet, the steam still billowing off of it as I cut a slice off with the side of my fork and took a taste. It was amazing. A sweet glaze brought out the buttery taste of the carrots. It was so perfectly cooked that it melted in my mouth. I took another bite, and another, and before I knew it I had devoured the whole thing. Petunia came by again with a tall glass of carrot juice. It tasted fresher than anything I have ever drank. I put my fork down, but I think the mayor could tell I was not quite done yet when she signaled over Petunia.

"She will take a slice of one of your signature pies too."

"No I rea …"

"Trust me, if you thought that was good…"

A few minutes later Petunia brought over a slice of blueberry pie that was larger than my paw! I told her that I'd be fine with just a small slice, and Petunia said that was the small slice. I couldn't tell if it was fresh out of the oven, or simply heated up, but it had the same melt in your mouth feeling that the carrots had. I could have grown fat eating this and wouldn't have cared. I can die happy now.

"Now if you don't mind, let's get down to business. Follow me."

Once I finished my food, we got up and I followed her towards the front of the town where the medical facility was located. I did not pay attention before, most likely since I was bleeding to death from a bullet to the leg, but there was a large wall connecting the side of the building all the way back towards the main city walls. A single, solid metal door was the only passage through the door. The two wolves from last night were standing on either side of the door, and in front of them were two mammals, a very frantic looking rabbit, and a fox who, after taking one look at me, seemedto shrink behind the rabbit.

"Holly, I already told you. We are keeping Nathan here up until we can get this whole situation settled. You should take Markus and head back while Miss Springs and I have a talk with him. I promise you, we will not harm him, but things could have been far worse due to Nathan's negligence if it were not for Miss Springs."

Unlike the rest of the town, the mayor's 'aura' did not seem to faze the rabbit named Holly. She walked right up to the mayor with a very serious look in her face.

"If anything happens to him …"

"As I told you Holly, nothing will. We all know that Nathan's curiosity gets the better of him, but sneaking out in the middle of night right after a siege has gotten people a little anxious, especially when it involved that robot. We just need to settle the air before I have more people trying to kick you three out … or worse."

Holly still showed her seriousness, even as she backed away. That was one girl I didn't wanna mess with in a fight. While the mayor gave off an aura that made her very appealing and charismatic, the rabbit seemed to be exhuming an aura that said: 'You better not mess with my family, or there will be hell to pay.' The two of them finally backed down and started to walk away. The fox moved as if to keep Holly between him and me, while she gave me a look that, honestly? I had no idea what that look was.

"Sorry about them. She, Markus and his brother have been trapped here like so many after the attacks. I think everyone is still on edge."

"So, this Nathan, he is responsible for the fiasco last night?"

"Afraid so. Like I said, he is a very curious creature, but that curiosity has always gotten him in trouble, but nothing like this. He's a good kid. They all are. But the rest of the town is starting to talk. They arrived shortly before the Berserk-kings siege, and some of them think they were spies."

"What do you think?"

"That they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like I said, they are good kids, and I am a very good judge of character."

I could have sworn she winked at me while emphasizing the 'very.' I was also sure that I was blushing again. One of the guards unlocked the door as we moved through. They shut the door behind us and I heard a locking noise. The lights within this area were much dimmer, but I could make out six prison cells, not to dissimilar to the ones in the Burrow. All, butone, were empty. As we moved in front of the single occupied cell, I saw a russet brown furred fox dressed in a simple shirt and jeans. He was sitting there, his head bowed sullenly, but one thing stood out over anything else. There, on his left forearm, was a device that matched my own. He was wearing a Pip-Boar.

"Nathan Valiant, meet Olivia Springs. Something tells me you two have a lot to talk about."

—

Fallout: Zootopia After Show

Featuring:

'Stripes in the Morning'

[Stripes]

"Good morning listeners! Welcome to Stripes in the Morning featuring the the wasteland's one and only wall-breaking zebra, C. Stripes! On today's show, our special guest is none other than the Mayor of this fine establishment, Jessabell Swift! Mayor Swift, quite a day this town had, almost being destroyed, twice. What are your feelings on that?"

[Mayor Swift]

"Well it has been a rather difficult time, but just like our namesake, hope drives us to survive."

[Stripes]

"As I am sure the readers have guessed, you, being the lovely gazelle you are, must be related to the Gazelle. The famous international pop sensation, and as some have called her, the angel with horns. Care to comment on that?"

[Mayor Swift]

"There is no need to comment on what everyone else knows, but yes, she was my great, great, great, great, great, grandmother."

[Stripes]

"Well, that sure sounds… great. Now tell us, it seems that you have inherited her amazing appearance, did that beauty also come with her sensational voice as well?"

[Mayor Swift]

"I am afraid not. While I have heard some of her songs over the Savannah Caller, I have never really cared much for sining. Keeping this town in order is a full time job."

[Stripes]

"Surely you can try? I am sure we all would love to hear you try, I mean your character was based upon hers, so it goes to tell that you her voice surely would have translated over."

[Mayor Swift]

"What do you mean my character?"

[Stripes]

"Well I mean you are simply the figment of someone's imagination, so can our fans have the slightest glimpse of the amazing voice we are all sure you have?"

[Mayor Swift]

"I will give you some fans. Reggie! Williams! Get this zebra out of here!"

[Stripes]

"Well, it looks like our episode is being cut off rather abruptly. This is Stripes signing off, and until the next After Show, I will strive to bring you all the behind the scenes gossip, no matter how much it hurts!"